Mechanical ankle-movement device for artificial limbs



Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,319 K A. D. SCULLY MECHANICAL Amm: MOVEMENT DEVICEFOR ARTIFIcIAL Lms Filed July a, 1925 ALEX/1 Non? D. Scl/1.1.x

A TTORNEY lll) Patented Feb. 9, 1925.

unirseY sra-rss ALEXANDER D. SCULLY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANCAL ANKLE-MGVEMENT DEVCE FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.

Application 'iled July 8, 1925.

To It 1071.011@ 'it 'may concern.'

Be it known that l, ALEXANDER D. SoULLr, citizen oi" the United States,and resident o1" New York city, in the county oi' llew York and State otNew York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mecha-nical Anlde-lvloveinent -Devices for Arti licial Linibs, ot whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical an- .lde movement devices forartiticial limbs and has a particular reference to articulated devicesadapted to connect the foot and calt portions otl an artificial limb.

The object et my invention is to pro- \'idc a mechanically strong devicetor the above purpose, with a limited degree of freedom of moven'ient intwo directions, provided with eliicient means o'l lubrication ol thetrictional surfaces` Y l -further provide my device vwith improved meansof taking up any lost motion and looseness which may develop in pivotingointson account of the wear oi' the trictional surfaces.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying specificationand drawingl in which Fig. 1 is an elevation ot my device with theartificial toot shown with dotted lines, and Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation taken from another angle.

My device consists ot a lower clevis 1 with a threaded extension 2provided with a nut 3 and awasher 4l. The clevis 1 is clamped to theartificial toot 5 with the nut 3 and is prevented from turning in itsposition by means et pins 6. A tapered pin (l is litted into the clevisl and is prevented from turning` by means of a pin 7 which is littedpartly in the sido plate ot the clevis and partly in the pin 6.

The larger end of the pin G is made oyliudrical in its portion which islitted in the clevis in order to 'fzficilitate its adjustmentlengthwise. '.l`he pin is made shorter than the dist-ance between theouter cheeks ol` the clevis, and the remaining space at the small endot' the pin isk lilled with filling washers 8.

The pin is provided with threaded holes 9 at both ends :for screws 10.These screws are provided with flat heads 1l' of a larger diameter thanthe -pin 6 and have recesses 12 on the inside for the ends of the pin. Aconnecting bleek .13 is fitted between the sel-iai no., 42,197.

sides of the clevis 1 and is provided with a central tapered hole forthe pin 6. The rotative movement ot the block 13 is limited by means otthe flat edges 1l and 15, bearing ao'ainst the inner surface 16 of theclevis. rthe edge 141 is placed at a short distance from the surtacel,thereby allowing but a slight motion lin this direction, correspond ingto the straightening movement ot .the ioot in relation to the calli 17.The front rdge 15 is raised at a higher angle, thereby allowing` agreater angle of lexure corrm spending to the angle ot tlexure duringnormal process ot walking.

Rubber or sin'iilar resilient bloclis 18 arc wedged between the toot 5and the calli 17, so as to prevent any lost motion or chatter ingbetween those two members of the articial foot.

The upper portion of the block 13 is litted in an upper clevis 18 and ispivoted on a tapered pin 19 built similarly to the pin 6. It is madeshorter than the distance between the outer surfaces ot the sides or"the clevis 18, andthe remaining space at the small end ot the pin isiilled with lilling adjusting washers 20. The ends ot the pin 19 areprovided with threaded holes for clamping and adjusting screws 21 withlarge flat heads 22. These heads have inside recesses 23 for the endsoli the pin 19. fr key pin Qfl is `fitted partly in the pin at the largeend and partly in the side of the clevis 18 in order to prevent the pin19 from turning. The holes 24. in the screw heads are provided forturning the screws (by means ot a Spanner wrench), similarly to holes 25in the screws 10.

The clevis 18 is fitted into the calli' portion oit the artilicial footand is clamped by means of a threaded extension 2,5 with .i nut Q6 and awasher 27. Pins 28 prevent the clevis from turning in its place.

lu order lo provide a system ot lubrication for all trictioual surfacesthe body of the upper clevis 18 is drilled through the central portion(hole with a side veut l0 registering with an oil hole 3l in the call'17.

The pins 6 and 18 have circular recesses or grooves 32 in their middleportions corresponding to the holel 29 in the body of the clevis 1S andthe holes 33 and 311 in the connecting block 18. lVith this arrangement110 the oil, when poured into the oil hole 31, will tlow to the pins 6and 19 and will spread over all ot the friet-iena] surfaces.Longitudinal slots S5 in theblook 13 will help to spread the oil alongthe pins.

The upper portion oit the block 18 is provided with shoulders 35 placedat a small angle with the inside surface B7 ot the upper elevis,so astoalloW a limitedainount o't a sidewise tilting' movement for the ioot5S in relation to the calt 1T, corresponding to the natural side bendingof a human angle.

In order to adjust the pins 5 and 1S for Wear, the screws lO and 2l areren'ioved, other screws loosened. one or more adjustingl v-:ashers 8 or2O removed, and the screws tightened againy beginning with the screws atthe small ends, that is screws l() and 2l. rhe screws will heaccordinglb drawn towards small ends, thereby fitting tighter in theconnecting block 1 3.

the washerw removed ironi the small end, may he placed at the larger endin order to have the screws drz-i'nfn ti'glitl):Y against the pin andWashers. This will tend to prevent their loosening in service. y 1

Important advantages ot' mv device are that it allows natural degree otfreedom in two directions for thearti'tieial foot, is eas;Y to luhrieateand can headjusted for wear so as to eliminate ang7 lost motion orlooseness between the respective parts.

Another advantage o' my device is that it has two articulated joints atright angles with each other forming an universal joint, which allowsVthe saine degree of freedom to move in all directions as there existsin a natural human tootl claim as inv invention:

n a. mechanical ankle movement: device, the combination with a lowerolevis, a threaded extension on said Clevis adapted to he attached to anartiiicial toot, an upper Clevis, a threaded extension on said upperelevis adaptedto he attaehedto an artiticial oalt'j a connecting' block`slidably .fitted into said elevises, tapered pins forming pivotedconneetions between said olevises and said connectingl block, n'ieans toprevent said elevises from rotation in said artitieial toot and Galt',and a plurality of resilient ineinhers wedged between said artiticialtoot and said Calif. l

Signed at New York, in the County oi' New York and Stat-e ot New York,JuneI ALEXANDER D. SCULLY

